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MDCS 2017 R1 M. Bosworth Race Report.

18 Midland skippers arrived at Market Bosworth RYC to a very light westerly, and so the PRO Laurie and team laid out a course in front of the water park cafe.

Unfortunately by the time the 1st race was to start it became obvious that the course would be a bit of a procession and so it was essential to get a good start. After two races had been completed we knew that we needed to move the whole thing over to the right hand side bank.

With Laurie and Steve in the rowing boat collecting the buoys and laying out the new course to accommodate the north-westerly and the bank side equipment having been re-sited the wind dropped to almost nothing. Having got race three away it quickly turned into a bit of a lottery as possibly 50% of the fleet came to a holt caused by some lengths of stringy weed that appeared to be just below the surface. To get weed issues this early in the season is unusual at Market Bosworth.

Laurie to the rescue, he went out and picked up the effected boats clearing fins and rudders, all boats eventually completed the race so we had a finishing order. The race team then discussed the option of abandoning the event as if we could not provide a fair race then effectively it was not a race more of a game of chance. The race team decided to carry on as the wind had picked up slightly and we would review again at lunchtime.

Race four was held in light airs so it was going to be a single lap and whilst there was some weed issues it did not affect so much of the fleet. We completed six races by lunch which was not bad considering the trials and tribulations for not just the race team but the skippers who were managing the weed with good grace.

The lunch break also gave Chris H and a few other skippers a chance to deal with some District business, sorting out race team support for the District host clubs needing assistance, and getting some provisional offers for 2018 events.

The early races after lunch were run in light airs and the weed problem appeared to be less, possibly due to so many fins going to windward scooping up all the floating bits, at least we had some racing. Just after the mid-afternoon tea break the sun had finally broken through the low grey cloud bringing with it a far better wind speed allowing for some close racing through the whole fleet. With eleven races completed by 15:25 it was decided that the twelfth race would be the last, this was sailed in the best conditions of the day, but as we were all getting tired due to walking to and from the piers it was a good decision.

With scores totalled and the two discards calculated we had a result, the top skippers having come out on top again despite the challenges. The discards appearing to compensate for the worst of the earlier weed. So congratulations must go to Chris Harris who had chartered Laurie’s Britpop for the event, don’t adjust anything when you get it back Laurie.

In a slight change to the usual prize giving procedure Laurie said to the top places they had the option to take a prize or pull out a jib number ticket from the hat. All decied to use the draw which was generous of them, one noticable winner was jib 34 (Bert Whitehead) who whilst he finished last in the race had spent quiet a lot of his time lauching and clearing weed off other skippers fins, he had the wellies, cheers Bert enjoy the wine.

After the “Sears Trophy” presentation, we presented Darin Ballington with the “Gibbs Trophy” as winner of the MDWCS 16-17 series. As with all these events there is a lot of preparation and so Laurie and myself would like to thank, Steve, Chrissy, Bert, Mark, Tony and anyone I have missed in the preparation/repair of the buoys.

The overall series positions for both the individual and club have been added to the results tab. You will also find some pictures in the gallery.

The next round of this years MDCS & C series is scheduled for 16th April at Two Islands, keep an eye out for the NOR which will be posted here about ten days before.

ARO, Gordon Sears.

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